AeroPress brew guide

The AeroPress makes fine coffee portable.  Invented by engineer Alan Adler, of Aerobie Frisbee fame, the AeroPress is a lightweight device that brews up a sweet, full-bodied cup where you are: on the road, at the office, or camping.  With the AeroPress you can run into any convenience store, get a hot cup of water and brew your own fine mug right in the parking lot.  Converts say it makes the best cup of coffee, even at home.

Measurements: 320g (220g/~7.7 oz will be for your coffee) water; 17g or (~.6 ozs, or one AeroPress Scoop) coffee

Grind: Fine (about the texture of table salt)

Filter: AeroPress filter

1. Measure and grind.  This is key to the best cup but grinding while mobile does impact the portability factor.

2. Put the filter in the small black "basket."  Affix to the bottom of the brew chamber.

3. Wet.  Preheat the brew chamber and plunger with hot water.  This gets rid of paper flavor and preps the AeroPress.  Discard the rinse water.

4. Place the brewer on top of the mug and add coffee.  You can use the coffee-loading funnel that's included.  Or not if you want to keep it simple.

5. Start your timer when you pour the water (just off the boil or about 205F/~96C) into your brewer.  Saturate all the coffee grounds within 10 seconds.

6. Fill to the No. 4 on the brew chamber, then stir the "slurry" (coffee and water mixture). A paddle is included but you can use whatever's handy.

7. Place the plunger on the brew chamber and pull up slightly to create a pressure seal. Don't plunge yet!

8. At 1:15, remove the pressure seal and give the slurry another stir.  Put the plunger back on and gently press down with steady pressure, stopping as soon as you hear a hissing sound.  This entire brew process should take just under two minutes and yield an espresso-like cup.  Add hot water to taste.

Adjust: If your coffee tastes too weak, you might use a finer grind.  You may also be accustomed to the bite of a less smooth brew. Try using more coffee or use less hot water to dilute the espresso.  If you're finding the AeroPress difficult to press, you may be pressing too hard.  Try depressing in increments until you hear air escaping from the chamber.  Now pressing down to the coffee puck will be easy.